Newsletter #1238

Never mind, as England crash out yet again on penalties, there are just two weeks to go until pre-season starts. Calm down.

We have a view of the World Cup, a look at the way fans behave and are treated, news on Uwe, and Mark’s Why Blue.

Rumours abound that Dietmar Hamann is about to sign for City; watch this space.

OPINION: WORLD CUP

Well, yet again disappointment for all of us. We should look at how this has happened and think about what might have been.

Obviously we did not take enough strikers and the “gamble” of taking a young, inexperienced kid to placate his future boss after Arsene Wenger goes to Real Madrid was not a good idea. Playing with one striker who needs to hold the ball and making that striker an impatient charger like Shrek was a mistake. If you have the best crosser of a ball (in the air) and you don’t play a 6’7″ striker what does that say? Blaming Lampard and Gerrard for not sniffing up the chances that were not presented to them by someone heading the ball down to their follow up is not a legitimate excuse. Rooney and Crouch up front and a 4-4-2 is the way England play. I have to admit that Hargreaves was the MOM against Portugal but he would not play in a 4-4-2. Why did Sven change to 4-5-1 for these last few games? Do they not have Gatorade? Water will not prevent dehydration alone, there should have been a plan to hydrate everyone in warm weather. Becks plays in Madrid for God’s sake; he should know better. You could have got odds on Rooney getting a red card before the World Cup so it should not be a surprise.

OPINION: LEMMINGS

Oh I can’t believe what I just read. A so called fellow City fan, just wrote, “It’s got the City badge on, isn’t that all that matters?”

Does anyone still remember Lemmings, the computer game? This is where demented brainless beings just follow one another until they fall into a fire, off a cliff or some other unpleasant end. Basically, they are brainless morons. Is Steve suggesting that City fans are Lemmings? “It’s got City’s badge on, isn’t that all that matters?” I still can’t believe it.

Does that mean that if they send out the staff from the ComStad to collect dog poo odf the street, bag it up and put a City badge on it, we should buy it? I’m sure that there are mugs out there who would.

And what if they copied United’s kit but stuck a City badge on it, would that be OK? And should we buy, without thinking whether we like it or not, just about everything that the club bring out, just because it’s got a City badge on it?

Well you could say that the money goes towards the well-being of the club. Round sphericals. The club is in debt up to its eyes. The only people benefiting from the huge amounts of cash washing into football these days are the robbers on the field.

The new kit is not of a good design, in my opinion. I wouldn’t buy it now even if I liked it: after buying the navy blue one last year, they’ve gone and replaced it after one year. I don’t care if they bring out the most exciting design in the world for their next shirt. I’ve been s**t on and I don’t like it. Barton can get his money from someone else. He’s having none of mine.

Oh, and by the way, Steve also mentions that the kit has the sponsor’s name on it. When sponsors first started putting their names on the shirts, you had to pay extra for it. I think that City’s was Saab. I preferred to not have it on. Why should I use my chest to advertise for them? They should pay me.

[Best selling kit ever in the history of City according to the club’s website! – Ed]

OPINION: ENGAGE THE FANS

Like most City fans, it appears, I am not keen on the new kits and agree with the majority of opinion to stick to tradition or at least as close to tradition as possible. But I have an idea. Rather than us fans simply being reactive and getting upset when the club or manufacturer roll out another dire strip, especially without fans being consulted, why don’t we consider being proactive instead? I am sure that somewhere out there are those amongst us who are design-oriented. I am suggesting that someone with the energy and drive take the lead and set up a website or something to which fans could submit their own kit designs. Fans could draw pictures like designers do etc., scan them and submit them along with a rationale for the design. At some appropriate future date fans could vote on the designs, and the most popular ones could be presented to MCFC or Reebok or to whomever. Those in charge could then accept a fan-generated/supported design or at least have a better idea of what fans want. Perhaps such a proactive approach could satisfy fans and also help shirt sales, which is clearly of importance to MCFC and Reebok. And if they go off in a totally different direction, then we certainly do have basis for a genuine complaint.

OPINION: DIDN’T HE DO WELL?

See attached link for an interview with Uwe. He is doing a pretty good job at Lillestrom and he’s getting to coach a team that’s playing European football!

http://www.uefa.com/magazine/news/Kind=134217728/newsId=432810.html

OPINION: INFLATION

I really think that I put one more 0 to make it £500,000 instead of £50,000 as the payment that Reading should have made if the Goat had played one more game (MCIVTA 1237). But I think that one more game by our Goat was worth at least £500,000 more anyway.

Thanks for cherished memories, “Our Goat”.

REQUEST: PERTH BLUES AND 10-1

Firstly, any Blues based in Perth Western Australia, or travelling through, please get in contact as we have quite a few Blues here and get together most times when City are on, we have formed a club and have days out, beach barbies, beers etc. A few of us are off to China to watch City, should be great.

Secondly, if anyone has a copy video or DVD of the 10-1 vs. Huddersfield they no longer want, or could provide me with a copy, I would be really grateful.

WHY BLUE?

Well, it all began on 21 January 1976, MCFC vs. Middlesbrough in the League Cup semi-final, 2nd leg.

Midweek night game and I was squashed into the Kippax stand with some of the other members of the Openshaw branch of the City Supporters’ Club. The atmosphere that night was incredible and if I’m honest I didn’t actually see much of the game but the result? 4-0!

We all know the consequences of that excellent evening. A night that changed my life forever!

Then the League Cup final at Wembley, Newcastle United and Dennis Tueart’s unforgettable overhead kick goal! Result 2-1 (24 years later he signed the Wembley ’76 programme I kept, where his photograph has slightly more hair, his words)!

Thanks for that memory and autograph Dennis, or should I say Mr Tueart nowadays? City has been in my blood, Blue blood, ever since! I can’t explain why but I love Manchester City, I do. I’m sure you all understand how I feel. It’s the supporters and the atmosphere; I need that buzz, the fix! I am hoping that excitement is recreated at the COMS but it seems lacking these days. It will come I’m sure.

I will support Manchester City for the rest of my life because I am a proper Manc!

30 years of MCFC, the highs, the lows! I will also remember the play off final Wembley ’99, Gillingham, Blackburn (2000) 4-1, Charlton (,85) 5-1, MUFC (,89) 5-1 and many more to come.

MCIVTA FAQ [v0506.02]

[1] MCIVTA Addresses

Articles (Heidi Pickup)          : editor@mcivta.city-fan.org
News/rumour (Don Barrie)         : news@mcivta.city-fan.org
Subscriptions (Madeleine Hawkins): subscriptions@mcivta.city-fan.org
Technical problems (Paul)        : paul@city-fan.org
FAQ (David Warburton)            : faq@mcivta.city-fan.org

[2] What are MCIVTA’s publishing deadlines?

Deadlines for issues are nominally 6pm, Monday and Thursday evenings bu email. Unfortunately we cannot accept email attachments.

[3] MCIVTA Back Issues and Manchester City Supporters’ home page

http://www.uit.no/mancity/ is the unofficial Manchester City Supporters’ home page. Created in 1994, it is the longest running of the Manchester City related web sites. Back issues of MCIVTA are also hosted on the site.

[4] What is the club’s official web site?

The official club web site can be found at http://www.mcfc.co.uk/

[5] What supporters’ clubs are there?

Manchester City FC recognises three supporters’ clubs: The “Official Supporters Club” (http://www.mcfcosc.com/); the “Centenary Supporters’ Association” (http://www.reddishblues.com/CSAWebsite/CSA.htm) and “The International Supporters’ Club”.

[6] Where can I find out about the fans’ committee?

The Fans’ Committee operates as an interface between supporters and the club. The Fans’ Committee has been relaunched as “Points of Blue”. It has appeared on the club website as a minor entry under “Fans Zone”.

[7] What match day broadcasts are available on the web?

The GMR pre and post match phone-in is available on the web at http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/gmr/sport_intro.shtml.

Live match commentaries and archives of games, reports and interviews can be found at http://mcfc.videoloungetv.com/do/preLogin?clubSiteCode=MCFC&CMP=AFC-003.

[8] Where can I find out if City are live on satellite TV?

http://www.satfootball.com/pl.html provides a listing of Premiership games being shown on UK domestic and foreign satellite channels. Useful sites for North American viewers are http://www.foxsportsworld.com/named/FSW/Index/Soccer, http://www.soccertv.com/, and http://www.livesoccertv.com/.

[9] Do we have a Usenet newsgroup?

Yes we do: uk.sport.football.clubs.man-city is our home on usenet. If you are not familiar with usenet, a basic explanation is available here: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,289893,sid9_gci213262,00.html

[10] Do any squad members have their own web pages?

There are a number available and direct links can be found at http://www.uit.no/mancity/players/

[11] Can I buy shares in the club?

Yes you can: Shares in Manchester City PLC are traded on OFEX. The latest prices can be on found the OFEX web site http://www.ofex.com/ (registration required) or in the business section of the Manchester Evening News.

[12] Where can I find match statistics?

Statistics for the current season are available from the club site, but for a more in-depth analysis try http://www.mcfcstats.com/.

[13] Where can I find a list of City-related websites?

Try Wookie’s Lair: http://www.wookieslair.com/modules.php?name=Web_Links

DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in MCIVTA are entirely those of the subscribersand there is no intention to represent these opinions as being thoseof Manchester City Football Club, nor of any of the companies anduniversities by whom the subscribers are employed. It is not inany way whatsoever connected to the club or any other relatedorganisation and is simply a group of supporters using this mediumas a means of disseminating news and exchanging opinions.

Heidi Pickup, editor@mcivta.city-fan.org

Editor: